1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera with improved outer covers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a camera in which outer covers can be positioned with respect to one another in a simple structure.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
A compact camera has a camera body which includes a main body and outer covers. The main body accommodates a shutter unit and the like for taking an exposure. The outer covers contain the main body. The outer covers consist of a front cover and a rear cover secured to the front and rear of the main body. Screw retention is used in the camera for coupling the front cover with the rear cover. In general, portions coupled by the screw retention are disposed on a lateral wall or a lower wall of the camera body, because, if screws should appear in an upper wall or front wall of the camera body, appearance of the camera would not be neat or agreeable. The lateral wall or lower wall is kept rigid and durable due to the coupling by the screw retention. However, the coupling is less strong in the upper wall of the camera body due to the lack of the screw retention. The front and rear covers have joining end faces opposed to one another. It is likely in the upper wall that the front and rear covers become offset up or down along the joining end faces. If the upper wall of the camera body is pushed down, a gap may occur as the joining end faces comes away from one another.
JP-A 2000-089325 discloses an example of the camera having a joining ridge disposed in one of the outer covers, formed on an inner line of the joining end faces. A remaining one of the outer covers is secured in a state with one of the joining end faces overlapped outside the joining ridge. This prevents the outer covers from being offset up or down in the upper wall of the camera body that does not have the screw retention. Even the front and rear covers are pushed downwards and receive force to move in directions away from one another, there is no offsetting between the front and rear covers at the overlapped portions. No opening occurs between those at the juncture.
One suggested modification is the front cover of metal and the rear cover of plastic material in combination with the structure of JP-A 2000-089325. The plastic material of the rear cover is to increase productivity and reduce the weight. The metal of the front cover is to provide agreeable appearance of the camera body. However, there is a problem in the one of the joining end faces at the front cover has a greater thickness than the remainder of the joining end faces at the rear cover because of overlapping on the joining ridge of the rear cover. Unevenness occurs in the height of the camera body in the upper wall between the front and rear covers. It is difficult in the front cover of metal to change the thickness only in the vicinity of the joining end faces due to problems in the manufacturing process and the strength. If the thickness of the rear cover around the joining end faces is set greater, the volume of the camera body may be increased. It is impossible to suppress the offsetting between the front and rear covers only by changing the thickness of the rear cover around the joining end faces.
A commercially available example of the camera is NEXIA 3200ixZ (trade name) produced by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. According to this, a connection member is fixed between the rear cover and the main body. Connection pins are included in the piece of the connection member, and formed to protrude. Positioning holes are formed in the front cover. The connection pins are fitted in the positioning holes to position the front cover for fixation. Only end faces of the connection pins emerge externally in the surface of the front cover. This makes the appearance of the camera body better than that of the camera body with screws for retention.
However, numerous elements incorporated in the camera of a low cost are formed from plastic material such as ABS resin. The connection member is also plastic according to NEXIA 3200ixZ. If the connection pins included in the piece of the connection member appear externally through the positioning holes formed in the front cover of metal, good appearance of the front cover is influenced by the forms of the connection pins, to give poor impression to users or purchasers. The connection pins require a sufficient diameter for keeping high strength in coupling with the front cover. Thus, an area of the connection pins to lie externally is considerably large. The appearance becomes still poorer. The effects in the use of the front cover of metal become still smaller.
In view of the foregoing problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a camera in which the outer covers can be coupled without offsetting in the position at the joining end faces and without changing one of the outer covers formed from metal.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a camera in which one of the outer covers is formed from metal, and in which a retention element can have no inconsistent appearance to the metallic appearance and also can operate for reliable retention.
In order to achieve the above and other objects and advantages of this invention, a camera includes a main body. A casing is constituted by a rear cover and a front cover, for containing the main body. The rear and front covers are open in respectively forward and backward directions, and have first and second joining end faces positioned in respectively the forward and backward directions and opposed to one another. An extension portion is formed to project from one of the first and second joining end faces, received by an inside of a remaining one of the first and second joining end faces, for being overlapped on a peripheral wall portion of the rear or front cover. First and second insertion holes are formed in respectively the extension portion and the peripheral wall portion. A connection pin is inserted in the first and second insertion holes, fixedly secured to at least one thereof, for securing the rear cover to the front cover by retaining the extension portion on the peripheral wall portion.
In a preferred embodiment, the extension portion is disposed on the rear cover, and projects in the forward direction from the first joining end face.
The front cover is metallic.
The first and second joining end faces are disposed behind a center of the casing with respect to the forward or backward direction.
The connection pin includes a first pin end inserted in the first insertion hole. A second pin end is inserted in the second insertion hole, and secured thereto by caulking.
The extension portion is formed integrally with the rear cover.
The first insertion hole has a greater diameter than the second insertion hole. The first pin end has a greater diameter than the second pin end, and is prevented from dropping by the caulking of the second pin end.
Furthermore, a ridge is formed to project in the forward direction from the first joining end face along an inner edge thereof. A ridge receiving surface is formed to chamfer an inner edge of the second joining end face, and fitted on the ridge.
The ridge includes a first inclined surface inclined in the forward or backward direction. The ridge receiving surface is inclined in the forward or backward direction, and fitted on the first inclined surface.
In a further preferred embodiment, the connection pin includes a first pin end inserted in the first insertion hole in a forcible manner, and fixedly secured thereto. A second pin end is inserted in the second insertion hole.
The extension portion is constituted by a connection plate secured to the rear cover, and overlapped on the peripheral wall portion of the front cover.
The first pin end has a greater diameter than the second pin end. The second pin end is adapted for positioning the peripheral wall portion of the front cover.
The connection plate includes a first portion disposed between the peripheral wall portion of the rear cover and the main body. Furthermore, a retention mechanism secures the first portion to at least the rear cover.
The connection plate is plastic, and the connection pin is metallic.
The rear cover includes a rear wall and a first peripheral wall portion, the first peripheral wall portion being formed to project from a periphery of the rear wall, and having the first joining end face. The front cover includes a front wall and a second peripheral wall portion, the second peripheral wall portion being formed to project from a periphery of the front wall, and having the second joining end face.
According to another aspect of the invention, a camera includes a main body. A casing is constituted by a first cover and a second cover, for containing the main body. The first and second covers are open in respectively a first direction and a second direction reverse thereto, and have first and second joining end faces opposed to one another. A connection plate includes a first portion and an extension portion, the first portion being secured between the first cover and the main body, and the extension portion being overlapped on the second cover. First and second insertion holes are formed in respectively the extension portion and the second cover. A connection pin is inserted in the first and second insertion holes, fixedly secured to the first insertion hole, for securing the first cover to the second cover by retaining the extension portion on the second cover.